Joining Sainsbury's awarding winning Procurement team as a Procurement Manager means becoming part of a passionate and determined team, that is focused on delivering great results for the business, to help us deliver ‘Next Level Sainsbury’s’. You will take end-to-end ownership of the commercial and sourcing strategy for your category. Creating clear and compelling category plans and delivering them to create meaningful value for Sainsbury's. As a strategic sourcing expert, you will enhance our competitive advantage, minimise risk, and help deliver outstanding solutions for our customers and colleagues. With our commitment to curiosity, innovation, and continuous improvement, you will be encouraged to challenge the status quo and influence business strategy at all levels. Join our team and be part of an organisation that values integrity, fosters strong stakeholder relationships, and offers the opportunity for personal and professional growth in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.
Our Logistics network sits at the heart of Sainsbury’s ‘Next Level’ strategy. The logistics team play a crucial role in enabling our growth, ensuring an incredible service for our customers, and is one of the largest networks in the UK. Following on from the CIPS 2024 award winning initiative for collaborative team work, you will be responsible for end-to-end ownership of the commercial and sourcing strategy for your category. This will involve creating clear and compelling category plans that provide a fit-for-purpose supply chain, balancing cost, quality, and risk considerations. Using your strong commercial acumen, you will independently execute these category plans, employing a strategic sourcing methodology that enhances Sainsbury's competitive advantage and delivers outstanding solutions for customers and colleagues. You will lead cross-functional teams to implement business change and confidently engage in difficult conversations and negotiations with key suppliers and senior stakeholders to drive our award-winning transformation programme across our Logistics network. As a critical business partner, you will challenge and support senior stakeholders as needed, while effectively managing supplier risk and performance. Building and managing productive relationships with key suppliers (some of the largest and most critical within the Sainsburys goods not for resale Procurement team), you will identify opportunities and ideas, and lead contracting and strategic partner management within your category. Additionally, you will contribute to the overall success of the department, act as a positive role model for the team, and ensure category plans adhere to procurement and supplier management policies.
You are an experienced strategic procurement professional with a strong track record in creating and executing end-to-end category plans, and leading on business transformation projects. You don’t need to have a background in logistics, but rather a track record in multiple industries and fields that you can apply to providing a fresh view and approach. You will bring valuable insight and solutions to drive business success, maximized through robust commercial contract management.
Your ability to lead cross-functional teams, engage in difficult conversations and negotiations, and build productive relationships with key suppliers and stakeholders sets you apart. Your strong commercial acumen, critical thinking skills, and resilience enable you to balance the needs of the business, customers, and colleagues while effectively managing risks and optimising outcomes. As a trusted source of insight and solutions, you play a critical role in shaping the commercial and sourcing strategy, delivering value for money, and ensuring outstanding solutions for Sainsbury's and its customers.
An experienced Procurement professional, or comparable relevant commercial experience, who has experience of creating and executing compelling end to end category plans
Experience of change management, confident in communicating effectively to C-Suite stakeholders
Experience of complex negotiations with third parties both within contract and through market exercises, with an understanding of contract law.
Experience of project management
Strong verbal and written communication skills with experience of presenting
Stakeholder management experience, demonstrating the ability to influence, constructively challenge and confidently engage up to and including Senior Manager level, explaining complex ideas in a simple way
Logistics experience is not necessary as long as you can demonstrate the ability to learn new categories quickly and can provide an overview of how you would get yourself up to speed in the world of Sainsbury’s Supply chain and Logistics
Experience of 3rd party relationship management
Curiosity and inquisitiveness
Critical thinking and analytical skills
Tactically and operationally strong with a sharp commercial acumen
Resilient and adaptable, supporting others to adapt during times of change within a dynamic and fast paced environment.
